Immature Fruit
I purchased an heirloom pepper plant from the farmer's market in the spring and I was delighted when it started to bloom and produce fruit because it seemed to be happening quicker than usual.
I absolutely adore watching fruit develop. It is one of the most precious things to me as I tend my garden. I look forward to what each day holds for my plants as they slowly produce the fruit of their labor from the energy of the sun and my deliberate care and attention.
As I observed this particular pepper plant, I was astonished that it seemed to be maturing without really growing in size.
It's growth seemed to be stunted but it turned a deep dark purple giving the illusion that it was going through the necessary process to become mature.
Within days I went ahead and picked it because I could tell that it would not grow to full maturity.
It reminded me of how, at times, Christians seem to be mature in Christ. They go to church, they know what to say to other Christians but when met with life's challenges, their immaturity becomes evidenced by their response.
He explains that the seed that is planted is the Word of God. As this seed is scattered in various locations, the sower observes what happens.
The seed that falls among thorns is representative of the Word of God falling into a heart where there are thorns. The thorns are the cares and riches and pleasures of life.
It strikes me! Jesus is speaking to His followers. He is giving them insight to their lives. He is warning them to not allow the cares of life like money issues and pleasure be on the forefront of their minds otherwise they will not mature!
I Corinthians 14:20 is a warning to believers to not be children in our thinking but infants in evil.
Children have a belief system that dictates their actions just like we as Christians are effected by what we think about. When a child wants something they badger their parents and pull out a multitude of tried and tested strategies to get what they want. An infant on the other hand is naive to these ways of thinking are really just seeking what is necessary for their lives to grow and mature.
As Christians we are called to grow to maturity. Our entire purpose as stated in Colossians 1:28 is that we may present everyone mature in Christ.
There is indeed a struggle to accomplish maturity in the life of a believer as noted further along in Colossians 4:12
So our job is to pray for one another, proclaim Jesus as sufficient, warn each other about the temptation to look at the cares of life and teach each other with wisdom in order that we would all come to full maturity in Christ.
Do you see it? Very clearly laid out in scripture? It is a necessary requirement to be in community with the body of Christ.
It is our responsibility to take the Word of God and chew on it and digest it, allowing it to train us and change our thinking to constantly practice discerning what is good and evil as showcased in Hebrews 5:14
Let us not fool ourselves in thinking we are going to mature in Christ if we are consumed with thoughts of our future, finances or what is going on in the world.
If we are bogged down with the cares of this world we rely on our brothers and sisters in Christ to come to our aid and shine the light of the truth of God's word on our sin. Rescuing us from our wrong thinking that allows thorns to grow in the garden of our hearts that will, indeed, choke out the truth.
We need mature believers to impart wisdom to us, not the wisdom of this world that would come in and say, "Oh that is so hard" and " I am so sorry" but rather "I understand that it is a hard place to be but keep your eyes on Jesus and He will never leave you nor forsake you".
Let us do the diligent work of observing one another's lives and coming alongside one another to ensure that each of us grows into the full measure and stature of Christ.
I absolutely adore watching fruit develop. It is one of the most precious things to me as I tend my garden. I look forward to what each day holds for my plants as they slowly produce the fruit of their labor from the energy of the sun and my deliberate care and attention.
As I observed this particular pepper plant, I was astonished that it seemed to be maturing without really growing in size. It's growth seemed to be stunted but it turned a deep dark purple giving the illusion that it was going through the necessary process to become mature.
Within days I went ahead and picked it because I could tell that it would not grow to full maturity.
It reminded me of how, at times, Christians seem to be mature in Christ. They go to church, they know what to say to other Christians but when met with life's challenges, their immaturity becomes evidenced by their response.
In the parable of the sower, Jesus reveals the secrets of kingdom living.
He explains that the seed that is planted is the Word of God. As this seed is scattered in various locations, the sower observes what happens.
The seed that falls among thorns is representative of the Word of God falling into a heart where there are thorns. The thorns are the cares and riches and pleasures of life.
It strikes me! Jesus is speaking to His followers. He is giving them insight to their lives. He is warning them to not allow the cares of life like money issues and pleasure be on the forefront of their minds otherwise they will not mature!
I Corinthians 14:20 is a warning to believers to not be children in our thinking but infants in evil.
Children have a belief system that dictates their actions just like we as Christians are effected by what we think about. When a child wants something they badger their parents and pull out a multitude of tried and tested strategies to get what they want. An infant on the other hand is naive to these ways of thinking are really just seeking what is necessary for their lives to grow and mature.
As Christians we are called to grow to maturity. Our entire purpose as stated in Colossians 1:28 is that we may present everyone mature in Christ.
There is indeed a struggle to accomplish maturity in the life of a believer as noted further along in Colossians 4:12
Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.
So our job is to pray for one another, proclaim Jesus as sufficient, warn each other about the temptation to look at the cares of life and teach each other with wisdom in order that we would all come to full maturity in Christ.
Do you see it? Very clearly laid out in scripture? It is a necessary requirement to be in community with the body of Christ.
It is our responsibility to take the Word of God and chew on it and digest it, allowing it to train us and change our thinking to constantly practice discerning what is good and evil as showcased in Hebrews 5:14
Let us not fool ourselves in thinking we are going to mature in Christ if we are consumed with thoughts of our future, finances or what is going on in the world.
Jesus himself is very clearly showing us that this is a sure way to stunt our growth.
If we are bogged down with the cares of this world we rely on our brothers and sisters in Christ to come to our aid and shine the light of the truth of God's word on our sin. Rescuing us from our wrong thinking that allows thorns to grow in the garden of our hearts that will, indeed, choke out the truth.
We need mature believers to impart wisdom to us, not the wisdom of this world that would come in and say, "Oh that is so hard" and " I am so sorry" but rather "I understand that it is a hard place to be but keep your eyes on Jesus and He will never leave you nor forsake you".
Let us do the diligent work of observing one another's lives and coming alongside one another to ensure that each of us grows into the full measure and stature of Christ.
Ephesains 4:11-16
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherd and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
We clearly need one another in order to grow and mature.
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